Dreaming in Gray
by Miss Matched
Summary: In Anzu's dreams, she finds a man who has lost all sense of hope. In Yuugi's dreams, he feels his very soul torn apart and dying, night after night. In such loss and hopelessness, where can they find reason and joy? Yuugi x Anzu x Mou Hitori no Yuugi
1. Alone By the Sea

Dreaming in Gray

Chapter 1: Alone by the Sea

_Standard disclaimers apply. YuGiOh and "Kiss From A Rose" are property of their own creators. Written for Mamono's fic challenge, and based loosely around the song "Kiss From A Rose" by Seal. Many thanks to Harlequine, my beta reader!_

* * *

_A statue, silver-gray in the moonlight, stands alone by the sea. A robe is clutched around its body by two stony hands, as protection from the cold Egyptian nights. Its gaze saw past the murky waters of the Red Sea and, as if trying to scouring the bottom of its soul, it draws a shallow breath--- the only sign that this fixture is made of flesh and bone._

_He is a tower—a testament to a life once lived, but now only shadowed. She reaches out to grasp him, to embrace him---ask him why he was so lonely and beg him to return to how he once was, but she lacks arms or any physical part of her being._

_The night is growing dimmer and stars that shine brightly begin to fade like dimming candles until only the moon remains to look upon the sorrowful scene. Slowly, the statue of the man moves, his hand reaching into his robes to procure a single bloom--- rare in itself in this sand-plagued land. A whispered prayer—or perhaps an incantation?—passes his lips as he gently drops the flower into the water. A splash (a tear?) disturbs the cool pool as the flower leaves his hand... And as that bloom falls, she finds herself falling too._

_She is suddenly surrounded by a darkness, smothered by memories that he casts aside. She screams a voiceless scream as she simply ceases to be, slipping away in the darkness that he became._

* * *

Anzu Mazaki woke up in a tangle of yellow blankets, her arms spread to each side, and trying desperately to still the foreign sensation of falling still imbedded deep within the pit of her stomach. After several deep breaths, she unwound her thin legs from the sheets and sat up in bed. Brushing ginger colored bangs away with her fingertips, she massaged her temples, feeling the first twinge of a headache coming on. 

'What was that?' She asked herself as she gathered her wits about her. She usually didn't remember her dreams, and though the details of this particular one were vague, emotions surged through her veins. Picturing that man standing solemnly on the shore conjured a feeling of companionship. He was someone that she knew, that she could tell without a doubt--- but from where? There was also disappointment and a fear buried somewhere in the back of her mind. It all felt so real and yet surreal at the same time.

Suddenly, a sharp laugh passed her lips, in time with a stark realization. 'It's just a dream,' She reminded herself, 'And dreams are nothing but a weird mix of events that have happened recently. And you,' she threw her legs over the side of her bed and rose slowly as she chewed herself out. 'You are becoming more superstitious than both Yuugis combined!'

Yuugi. Of course her thoughts would lead her to him; they always did. Or, to be fair, to both of them. Her childhood friend with his shy smiles, wide eyed view of the world, and endless encouragement--- and her hero with his confident grin and the deep voice that sent shivers down her spine.

She loved them both with her entire heart, but she knew it was wrong to be in love with two separate spirits even though they both resided in the same body. Her face flushed with heat, a sure sign of a blush, and she tried to clear her mind of all thoughts. The shrill beep of her alarm clock pierced through the silence, and she turned to face the glowing red numbers: 8:30 AM. It was about time for her to wake up. She groaned as she pressed the "off" button, the alarm abruptly stopping mid-beep, and caught a glimpse of the accumulating snow through the frost covered window.

"Today's going to be a weird day," she decided.

* * *

Snow sifted slowly from the clear blue sky down to the streets of Domino, already covered generously in the thick, white powder. Outside the Kame Game Shop, laughter penetrated the nearly deserted streets as a trio of teenagers pelted each other with the cold, white, phenomenon. The game shop itself looked almost festive with bits of green paint showing through the patches of glimmering, white snow. 

Puffs of frigid wet air formed in front of Yuugi Muto's face as he tried to breathe between sharp giggles while a blonde boy dressed in a green jacket ran up to him, throwing snowballs from a collection in the crook of his arm.

"You're mine, Yuugi." He shouted as he sprinted to the shorter teen.

"Not fair, Jounouchi," He mock pouted, "I wasn't ready." His hands, crossed innocently behind his back, concealed a perfectly round snowball in the palm of one purple-gloved hand. Hhe hoped his friend wouldn't notice that he was armed too.

Jounouchi smirked, looking down at the one last snowball that he held in one of his black gloves. "What, you thought Honda and I came outside to drink tea and talk about girls?" He tossed the sphere up and down in one hand, a crooked smile playing about the corners of his lips. "You've got plenty of snow around you. Fight like a man, Yuugi." A grin formed on Yuugi's face as he thrust his right arm forward, propelling the ball that he'd hidden behind his back. White powder shattered over the blonde boy's blue jeans and he shivered, "Man, it's on!"

A look behind his back assured Jounouchi that his fellow partner in crime, a boy with dark brown hair done up in a rather severe hair style, was still there packing snowballs. Upon being looked at, Honda rose from his kneeling position, his arms filled with the cool spheres.

"Two against one, Honda?" Yuugi laughed, looking over at the brown haired boy who was now evenly dividing the snowballs between himself and Jounouchi. Honda only smiled self-assuredly, one ball clutched in his black leather glove.

Shaking long blonde bangs from his face, Yuugi bent down to make a snowball for himself. After forming a sphere in his gloved hands, he thrust his head back, blonde bangs falling back into the black and red tufts of hair crowning the back of his head. A rich, dark laugh escaped his lips, and crimson glimmered challengingly in violet eyes. "Sounds fun."

* * *

_Crunch._

Anzu frowned, almost losing her footing as she walked down the snow covered sidewalk.

_Crunch_-**_Squeak!_**

Her new leather boots made thick footprints in the otherwise untouched surface. Light pink coat wrapped around her tightly, she made her way down the street, wind blowing in her face.

Despite the cold, it really was a lovely day, and she figured as far as temperatures were concerned, it could be much worse. The sun shone brightly, reflecting itself off the pure white that covered everything in sight---buildings, the trees and parked cars were all blessed with a little winter spirit.

Though she had started walking without a destination, she wasn't surprised when she saw the familiar "Kame Game Shop" sign. A high pitched scream caused her to whirl around and face the street, where two figures were being chased by one diminutive one expertly throwing snowballs .The two taller boys ducked behind a fortress of snow and began to regroup.

"Do you surrender yet?" Yuugi asked, confidence radiating from his being as he continued to thrust more snowballs over the barricade where the other two hid.

"Never!" Honda replied, returning fire as Jounouchi ran behind him, unnoticed.

Anzu watched, amused, as Yuugi dodged Honda's snowballs, even catching some effortlessly. Suddenly, she felt a hand clamp down over her mouth. She was about to scream just as another hand wrenched her arm behind her back.

"Shh... it's just me." She recognized the voice--- it belonged to Jounouchi. "Yuugi!" He yelled over at the boy who was pelting his teammate, "We have a hostage situation. Cease fire, or the girl gets a face full of snow!"

Yuugi stopped and whirled around to face Anzu and Jounouchi, his violet eyes twinkling with specks of crimson. He nodded slightly, before flashing her one of his confident smiles.

Anzu felt her knees buckle.

'That's not Yuugi... not entirely.' She thought to herself, feeling her cheeks grow warm. The darker Yuugi rarely came out when there wasn't a duel or life threatening situation, and even now, she could tell it was a blend of both boys playing this game.

The feeling of something cold whizzing past her shook her out of her thoughts, and she saw Yuugi racing towards her and Jounouchi, pelted by snowball after snowball by Honda, who was at his heels. Still, this did nothing to deter his aim, which his successfully utilized against an unsuspecting Jounouchi.

Jounouchi, not pleased by the turn of events, removed his hand from Anzu's mouth, and placed her other arm behind her back. "Sorry Anzu," he apologized, "but it looks like you're going to be tasting snow." With those words, he lifted her up and carried her over to the snow barricade.

"On the count of three," Honda announced from the side of the street, shooting amused glances at Yuugi.

"One."

Jounouchi began to lower the protesting Anzu down.

"Two."

He turned her around so that her face would enter the snow pile first.

"Thr-" Honda was cut off as Yuugi reached the barricade, and threw himself down on it just as Jounouchi dropped the girl.

Instead of hitting the cold, wet snow, however, Anzu's cheek pressed up against something warm. Puffs of foggy breath were expelled into the air right before her nose, her eyes suddenly following a curve of flesh that was Yuugi's chin.

The two lay in a heap, Yuugi soaked through several layers of clothing, and Anzu, remained only slightly damp (and very warm, in spite of herself.) They stayed like that for a moment while Jounouchi stared bug-eyed and Honda began to chuckle.

Slowly, a blushing Anzu stood up and offered a hand to Yuugi, who politely declined and stood on his own. He placed a hand on her shoulder and grinned up at her, "Shall we take them?"

A wicked grin spread across her face as she packed a snowball into her hands, "You know it."


	2. Light on the Dark Side of Me

Dreaming in Grey

Chapter 2: Light on the Dark Side of Me

_Standard disclaimers apply. YuGiOh and "Kiss From A Rose" are property of their own creators. Written for Mamono's fic challenge, and based loosely around the song "Kiss From A Rose" by Seal. Many thanks to Harlequine, my beta reader!_

Author note: Thanks for all the positive reviews last chapter! Hope this meets up to your expectations.

* * *

Warm, wet steam rose like a pale ghost from the cup of hot cocoa that Yuugi grasped in both hands. Leaning back on his soft, blue-covered bed, he greedily tipped the liquid from the mug into his mouth, feeling the smooth chocolate warm his body inside out. Letting out a soft sigh, he wrapped the warm woolen blankets his grandfather had given him closer to his body. A soft flash of light emitted from the inverted pyramid around his neck caught his attention, and he shifted his body so that he could face the almost mirror image that appeared next to him. Among the subtle differences between the two, the second boy's blonde bangs spiked back into the black and red at the back of his head. His eyes were narrower, wiser, a tainted shade of crimson. The less-than-subtle difference was that the snow covered window could easily be seen in it's every detail through the transparency of his body.

Smiling, the spirit crossed his arms across his chest and leaned back on the bed, his eyes glancing from the mug in Yuugi's hand to the boy.

"Did you even taste that?"

"No I didn't, " Yuugi replied sheepishly before taking a slower, smaller sip from his mug.

A good-natured chuckle emerged from the spirit. "I'm not surprised." He turned to face the window, and Yuugi followed his gaze. From where they sat, they could see massive patches of snow in the middle of the street missing, and footprints trailing around the entire area. A squeak of a laugh escaped Yuugi's lips as he remembered the happenings of that afternoon. After taking a plunge in the icy snow to make sure that Anzu wouldn't get wet ('She smelled really nice," he thought to himself, blushing.), him and Anzu had partnered up to finish the snowball war. He could still see her standing on her tiptoes rubbing snow in Honda's hair while he himself was chasing Jounouchi while utilizing an aim much truer than his own. Jounouchi, cornered on a main street where the snow had already been plowed, had to surrender or face the same fate he had tried to bestow on Anzu.

"Thanks for the help this afternoon, Other Me," Yuugi said softly, breaking through the silence, "I would have never been able to keep up with Jounouchi and Honda without you." The Other Yuugi turned to face him.

"I just wanted to even out the odds, partner." He said, then added teasingly, "Besides, you know I can't say no to a challenge."

"Or to playing the hero." Yuugi added, a blush still evident on his cheeks.

The spirit chuckled, "You were the one who wanted to make sure Anzu didn't get wet. I merely supplied the plan of action." The purity of his partner's resolve never failed to impress the ancient spirit. In everything, great or almost insignificant, Yuugi always strove to do what was right, and to give credit where he believed it was due. In the end, though, he always sold himself short, and this fact troubled the spirit greatly. He wouldn't even tell others when he was hurting, for fear of inconveniencing others. This realization reminded the Other Yuugi of his partner's restless sleep the night before. He leaned in closer to Yuugi, his facial features taking on a more serious nature. "Do you want to talk about it now?"

"About what?" The reply was too quick, and Yuugi winced at his mistake. He turned away ashamed, "I-- I don't." He looked down at the mug of cocoa in his hands and sighed. The odd sensation of heat against his neck caused him to turn his head to once again face the spirit, whose immaterial hand was placed reassuringly on his shoulder.

"Please Yuugi. Let me shoulder this burden." He asked, crimson eyes pleading to violet.

Yuugi was the first to break the gaze. Slowly and deliberately, he drank the last of his hot chocolate and placed the empty mug on his dresser. "It was just a dream. It just-- startled me, I guess."

"Yuugi, listen to me," his other protested, "I've been slow in asking you, hoping that you'd tell me. I've felt your agony for several nights now." Warm, transparent arms wrapped around the small boy, rocking his shuddering form back and forth slowly. "Tell me."

Drying his tears, Yuugi finally met his other's gaze. "It doesn't mean anything but--" He sighed, "It was more of a feeling than a dream. Everything was covered in this gray mist and... and I felt happy and whole. Like I belonged in here." He placed a small hand above his heart, just bumping the Sennen Puzzle around his neck. "But then I felt this... shove, only more strong, and my whole vision split between black and blazing, bright white." He shuddered, wrapping his arms around his knees, "And then there was this cracking noise, and I felt myself being torn in two... and I watched the white fall away, and everything turned that awful shade of black... and I was forgetting, and I didn't know who I was and I-was-so-scaredandaloneandthen--" He gasped for breath as the spirit held him closer, "And the light part just... it was dead, and the black didn't care! It had just killed it and..."

"Partner--- I'd never..." The spirit breathed into his other's ear, his voice filled with emotion.

Yuugi took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, "And that's why the dream can't be true. It's not true. It's not..."

"My partner, my other, the light to my dark;" The spirit whispered gently as he held the boy, "As long as the stars shine in the sky, as long as our heart still beats, nothing will take you from me." His voice, though soft, echoed with a fierce determination. "Nothing."

* * *

Six hours. Six hours had passed since the snowball fight, and yet the shoulder that his hand had rested on still felt warm and tingly whenever she thought about it. With a wistful sigh, Anzu leaned her back against the wall of the bay-window in the living room, and took a small sip of strong green tea from her white and pink mug. 'It's wrong,' she tried to remind herself, 'I can't feel this way... I can't love both of them. It's not fair on any of us.' But the rationale she fed herself did nothing to quench the butterflies in her stomach, and she eventually relented; choosing, instead, to look out the window and think about white snow and the darkening sky. Of light and dark; thoughts of _them_ dancing in her head like a sweet lullaby until her eyes closed and she fell into slumber.


	3. The Light that You Shine

Dreaming in Gray

Chapter 3: The Light that You Shine

_Standard disclaimers apply. YuGiOh and "Kiss From A Rose" are property of their own creators. _

Author's note: Usage of "Other Me", "Other Yuugi" or, "partner" is to mirror the Japanese names without resorting to borderline-fangirl Japanese by using "Mou Hitori no Yuugi" or "aibou". If you have any comments or suggestions, please leave a review! Oh, and Mamono? You rock hardcore.

* * *

He_ remembers gold. _He_ remembers miles and miles of gold and beige, flecks of brown, smoky hues in the never ending waves of sand. _He_ remembers the tingling sensation of each particle, heated by the sun, burning the soles of his tender feet when _he_ first learned to walk, to run. But these memories, from so many sun rises ago, bare little resemblance to _him_ today. The years have passed, the sun has risen and fallen on countless days, and now _he_ stands on the threshold of responsibility. Nearly of age, nearly ready to accept his father's blessing..._

_ These memories are interrupted by a sudden jolt to the present, provided by the camel _he_ rode stopping mid-stride to spit. Caught off guard, _he_ finds himself clinging to the beast's neck to keep balance. _He_ is not accustomed to riding any sort of animal, but for safety's sake, this journey could not be made by carriage or any sort of luxury. Were this sojourn public knowledge, there would be a greater possibility of trouble. Instead, _he_ travels only with two guards, one flanking each side, and _his_ father's most trusted adviser leading the way._

He_ remembers gold, but the color doesn't register in _his_ mind as being such. Miles from civilization, surrounded by nothing but sand--- the color should be overwhelming to _his_ senses. But not today. Everything is in muted colors, shades of grays and whites, almost like a black and white movie._

'What is a movie?'

_ "Sir?" The wizened guide begins, looking over his shoulder to the young man. The horse he rides remains forward, vigilantly continuing on. "We are nearing the next town. It is advisable for us to spend the night. Our horses are in need of water, and both horses and camel should eat and rest before the next day's journey."_

_ "We need rest and food more than the animals." The guard on the boy's left grumbled, frustrated._

He_ feels confusion, though he knows _he_ should feel none. They could all use the rest after two days of nearly uninterrupted travel. Perhaps this feeling wasn't confusion, maybe it was hesitation. After all, _he_ did need to see as much of Egypt as _he_ possibly could; to walk where _his_ people walked, to see their lives. It was a custom, something _he'd _need to complete before becoming pharaoh._

'But wait, I'm not---"

_ "Sir? The town. We are nearly upon it." The guide reminds in gentle tones._

_ "Probably stunned silent," The guard to the right quips in a voice meant solely for the second guard to hear. Mockingly, he adds,"'Oh, look. More poverty.'"_

_ The second guard smirks, shaking his light hued hair from his eyes, "If he thinks this looks bad, wait until he sees my hometown."_

_ "He'll probably insult the house you grew up in. Then your mother while he's at it."_

_ "I doubt my house's still in one piece anyway. And my mother? He can insult her as much as he wants."_

He_ shakes his head, trying to ignore the conversation around him. How could they think such things? _He'd_ never insult their homes... or their mothers. _He_ notices the guide is still facing him, waiting for an answer. "Oh, yes," _he_ stutters quickly, "My apologies. Yes, we should stay the night."_

_ The first guard, a young looking man with strikingly old, world-weary eyes, smirks up at the camel and mock bows, "A wonderful choice, your highness."_

_ Something clicks inside of _him_, a missing piece of the puzzle. The gray, Egypt, the sights and sounds. _He _was dreaming._

_ And in _his _dreams, _Yuugi _discovered, _he_ wasn't _himself. He_ was _his_ Other._

* * *

"Okay, that's it." Jounouchi announced, hanging up the pay phone with a thunk and flourish of his gloved hand. "That was my last couple of coins."

"So?" Honda asked, leaning up against the pay phone box, blowing into his cupped hands, and inwardly wishing he'd have remembered to have brought his gloves. "Yuugi's probably just sleeping in today. It's not like he's sitting by his phone and laughing at you while you call him."

"Sleeping? Man, it's noon! You don't even sleep until noon, and you're the laziest excuse for a person I know!"

Honda crossed his arms, "Hey, I'm not denying it. Look, if you wanna see him so bad, how about we just stop by his house?"

Jounouchi smirked, kicking a piece of ice across the snow-covered sidewalk as he walked forward, "Remember the last time we stopped by the game shop during work hours without warning anyone? Gramps used us as the excuse for why he wasn't getting any customers. Said we were scaring everyone away!"

"Well, if you hadn't been kneeling on the ground, begging for a free booster pack, and making a scene, maybe he wouldn't have blamed us." Honda reminded him as he slowly followed his friend.

"Oh, and you're perfect now?" Jounouchi laughed, crossing the street. "If I remember right, (and I always do), you were threatinin' someone who was trying to buy that "Shoot 'em Up" video game."

Honda sneezed, then wiped his face on his sleeve. "Hey, I've been saving up for that thing for months. If he wants it so bad, he'll have to go through my cold, dead body."

As Honda sneezed again, Jounouchi shook his head, "If you keep like this, it won't take much longer. Wear gloves next time, you nut. Maybe a decent jacket too. What are you trying to do? Die of hypochondria?"

"Hypothermia, you moron. And when did you become my mother?"

"Too long of a story." Jounouchi quipped as they reached the Kame Game shop. "Okay, you remember what window is for Yuugi's room? Top left, right?"

"Or maybe top right." Honda mumbled, packing a snowball, "How about we hit both?"

"Sounds good to me." Jounouchi grinned, packing two snowballs of his own. "Fire when ready!"

* * *

**_ Thunk!_**

_ Wizz... **thuh-thunk!  
**_

The sound echoed throughout the game shop, rattling the window panes and frightening birds from the rooftop. Grandpa opened the front door and stood in the entry way, broom in hand, to yell at the two hooligans as they ran away. "So much noise!" He shouted, "Enough to wake the dead!"

Up in Yuugi's room, he had just begun to stir. Hands reaching up, stretching before wiping the sleep from crimson eyes. Blinking, he looked down at his hands, at the clock, then his hands once more.

The Other Yuugi had woken up, for the first time that he could remember, alone.

'Yuugi?" He asked, closing his eyes, trying to talk to the boy. Maybe he was just tired from yesterday. After all, Yuugi's body wasn't used to so much physical activity, and that with the cold... maybe he was sick? 'Partner?'

Willing himself into his partner's soul room was a simple enough task. The Other Yuugi pushed aside several stacks of puzzles and boxes of unopened cards in order to get a clearer walkway. He wasn't in sight. "Yuugi?" The darker one asked, a note of panic entering his otherwise smooth voice as he stepped over a toy fire truck. "Yuugi." Relief washed over him as he spotted the boy sleeping silently in a corner. What had he been worried about to begin with? Gently, he walked up to the boy and knelt down. "Partner? It's time to wake up." He said carefully, placing a hand on his shoulder. The puzzle around his neck clanked against Yuugi's as he tried to wake him. A blinding flash of light was emitted from where to two touched.

"What--?" Yet Yuugi did not stir. Looking over his shoulder, the Other Yuugi saw the outline of his own soul room from the doorway, shining with a light of the same intensity of the one he'd just seen. Reluctant to leave Yuugi's side, he walked towards the light, through the doorway of his partner's room and into the doorway of his own. The light disappeared the moment he walked through, and darkness surrounded him.

Moments later, he found himself in a world of gray.


	4. A Rose on the Gray

Dreaming in Gray

Chapter 4: A Rose on the Gray

_Standard disclaimers apply. YuGiOh and "Kiss From A Rose" are property of their own creators. _

* * *

_He gazes down at his hands, at the creases that form as he cups his palms around a fist full of sand. Immaterial fingers slip through silver dust, touching nothing, feeling nothing. This thought is somewhat comforting to the dark spirit. Feeling nothing means it is impossible to experience the scorching heat of the sun._

_Squinting his eyes, he scans the horizon. There had to be more than just the never ending sand in this place. Where is he? He knows only the absolutes. He is in his soul room. But the light that shone as he stepped through had surrounded him, enveloped him, carried him. He could feel the motion. This was not his soul room. Where common sense fails, the beating of his heart was ever clearer. This is Egypt. This is his past. This is a part of him. _

_With this answer came more questions. Why wasn't Yuugi with him? Surely he had seen the light... unless... "Yuugi?" He calls out, taking his first tentative steps. His feet never touch the ground nor make any indention in the sand below. "Partner?" He had not wanted to leave his Other behind. _

_A realization strikes him as he looks down. The sand is silver. Though he has no memories of Egypt, he has seen sand before, of a bright golden color. He remembers Yuugi mixing it with water, piling it, molding it with his hands. There is sand in his hair, in his ears, and he is laughing. The sky is blue in this memory. But here, here it is gray, shimmering with heat reflected off of the unforgiving sand. _

"Everything was covered in this gray mist and... and I felt happy and whole."

_Yuugi's words from the night before echoed in his mind. His dreams! They were in shades of grays..._

"And the light part just... it was dead, and the black didn't care!"

_Grays, whites, blacks. "Partner, never!" His promise from the night before dies on his lips. He had promised Yuugi he would never leave him, yet now he is alone. And if Yuugi's dreams are of the past..._

_Panic leads back to reason, however. Yuugi has to be near. He feels the boy through the Puzzle's gentle calling. He feels it in his heart. Why would he be led here if not to find Yuugi?_

_The path he takes is straight ahead, as he walks on instinct alone. The way he takes simply feels right. The sand beneath him slopes up gently, and he wonders if this hill is made entirely of sand, or if there is some sort of dirt beneath. If he gets lost, would it still be here later? He doubts this fact will matter in the long run. The ground beneath him levels out as he continues on. Ahead he sees the flat, mud-brick roofs of a city, and below, the sand's gentle slope downward once more. But the city! One glance of it from afar, and he already feels at home. So many tiny houses, each built so close to one another. The joyful shouts of children fill the air as they play on the flat roofs. Their parents are mere specks on the ground, bustling about, attending to their daily schedules. His chin set at a determined angle, the spirit sets out towards the village. It is, after all, quite a trek from the top of this hill to the town below. Hastily, he continues, trusting that it is only a matter of time until he understands why he is here. The possibilities of finding the truth about his past can wait. Finding Yuugi is all that matters._

* * *

It seemed that the cold winds stopped for an instant. Children stopped throwing snowballs and ceased their laughter. The sounds of TVs and radios in houses nearby shut off, and the world was quiet in anticipation. At least, that's what it seemed like to Hiroto Honda, or maybe he went just a little but crazy, what with all of this cold air, his lack of proper winter attire, and the fact that his best friend was now about to do something no man that he'd ever heard of had ever attempted before: knock on the door of the Mazaki residence. "I'm gonna do this," Jounouchi said after a long pause. His hand was in a tight fist, poised over the surface of an awaiting door.

"Man, if you're so bored, how about we go to the arcade?" Honda asked nervously, breaking the silence. "If Anzu's mom is anything like she's said, she's gonna wig out on us."

Jounouchi grinned, mustering up enough courage to knock twice on the wooden surface, "Aw, girls always exaggerate. Besides, we have to have a rematch of yesterday's snowball war, or else my name isn't---"

A shrill response from the other side of the door cut off his sentence. "We don't want any!"

Honda involuntarily shuddered at the sound, and Jounouchi jumped nearly a foot away from the door. Clearing his throat, the shaken blonde tried again, "Uh, we ain't sellin' nothing. We're Anzu's pals."

The door slowly squeaked on it's hinges and opened a crack, revealing a sliver of a woman's face. "Anzu's sleeping," She responded matter-of-factly.

"Okay..." Jounouchi said slowly, ignoring Honda's wild gesturing and head shaking behind him, "Can we wake her up?"

"Come back later," Was the sharp reply as the door slammed shut.

"Don't count on that!" Honda hollered back as the duo left, dejected. "I always knew Anzu was a teensy bit off her rocker... guess we know it's genetics now, right?" He glanced over at his silent friend, head bowed and hands jammed into his pockets. "Aw, come on!" Honda tried again, "Don't be like that. Look, I've got some coins. Let's go to the arcade before I lose feeling in my hands."

Jounouchi sighed, "I guess..." They walked further in silence, Honda grateful to have finally talked his buddy out of this whole 'war'. Not that he didn't want to fight, oh no, he just didn't feel like walking around trying to find people to play with. It felt surprisingly juvenile.

Jounouchi looked deep in thought as the duo neared the arcade. "Kind of convenient that Yuugi and Anzu are both sleeping in today." He commented before sopping dead in his tracks. The suddenness of this action caused Honda to run into him. "A little too convenient."

Honda groaned, backing away from Jounouchi. "You've gotta be kidding me."

"No, no, don't you get it? They're probably both hiding out waiting for us to give up looking for them. They're too chicken for a rematch!" Jounouchi looked triumphant having figured out his friends' "plan", "But we ain't letting them off the hook that easily. We're gonna track 'em down, and find where they're at." As he rambled, Honda shook his head, turned, and walked away.

"And then we'll rub their heads in the snow so hard they'll be sneezing it for a month! Are you with me?" Silence was the only response to Jounouchi's battle cry. "You're with me, right?" He tried again, looking to either side of himself for his friend, "Honda?" He looked at the deserted, snow filled street and sighed, "Well, this sucks."

* * *

_The sights and sounds seem familiar, yet so strange. Yuugi knows this has to be a mixture of knowledge from the body he is in mingled with his own questions. There is, however, more curiosity than understanding. _

_'I guess royalty rarely ever sees life like this,' He thinks to himself, watching several children chasing a small wooden ball around their entourage. The children, both boys and girls, sported the same hair style: one lock of hair tied into a pony tail on the side of their heads, the rest, shaved bald. The ball hits up against the legs of the lighter haired guard's horse, and in surprise, it whinnies, bucking up on its hind legs. _

_"Woah!" The man cries out in an attempt to calm the horse as he holds on tightly to its mane. The children stop running for fear of scaring the horse more. _

_"Misters?" One child, a young girl, asks tentatively, watching the scene play out. The horse calms down a bit, and the rider once again safely perched atop, "Could you give us our ball back?" The other children rally behind her at some distance, slightly afraid of these newcomers and their animals. _

_Yuugi smiles and nods gently. Getting off his camel was not as much of a struggle as he had assumed it would be. His body slid effortlessly off the side, as if he had performed the action many times before. He reaches down beneath his guard's horse, picks up the ball, and hands it to the young girl. She smiles up at him in a silent "thank you" before running off. _

_His good deed done, Yuugi tries to mount his camel once more. The beast doesn't tower over him as he would have imagined, and only then does he notice that his current body is marginally taller than his own. As he remounts, he notices both guards staring at him with a look of disbelief in their eyes. He shrugs as the guide horse continues forward once again. Night draws ever closer, and they have yet to find a place to stay. _

* * *

_Everything feels like fire. Heat, bold and unbridled, settles in this room, settles around the form laying atop the stiff, covered reeds that served as a bed. Even breathing is difficult. She closes her eyes and concentrates soley on breathing: in, out..._

_She opens her eyes. _

_In..._

_The shadows on the walls seem to dance about her, flickering like flames as the darkness in the room shifts with the setting sun's last rays filtering in through the high-placed window. _

_Out..._

_Her body shakes involuntarily, thrashing with fever. Where is she? The room is so small, so dark, and everything so blurry. She tries to remember, but she can't concentrate. Tears prick at her eyes, and she scrunches them back up again as she wraps her arms around her frail body. If only this was a nightmare... _

_In, out. In..._

_She feels cool, for just an instant, the sensation covering her like a welcome embrace. When she opens her eyes, it is night time, and the shadows have stopped their dancing. She doesn't feel alone, not now. A sob escapes her lips as she slowly falls to sleep. _

_The shadows cover her through the evening, and one shadow envelops her, tries to hold her through her fevered tossing and turning throughout the night. She seems so frail, he realizes as he tries to brush a tear from her cheek, though his immaterial fingers slip through. She's just an innocent, a rose in this world of gray. _

_"It'll be all right," the shadowy spirit whispers, "Hold on, Anzu. It'll be better in the morning." He can't assure these words will be true, but he has learned that everything seems better once the light comes again. Perhaps tomorrow he will find his own. _


	5. Stranger it Feels

Dreaming in Gray

Chapter 5: Stranger it Feels

Author's note: Like this story? Hate it? Think there's something that needs further clarification in later chapters? Found a mistake? Want to give me some encouragement? Please, review. Also, major love and thanks go out to Mamono for beta-ing this and the last chapter. As I write this, I realize that it's been a year since I attempted starting this fic, so also, it has been over a year since I have met her, and she still continues to rock hardcore. I couldn't ask for a better friend.

_Standard disclaimers apply. YuGiOh and "Kiss From A Rose" are property of their own creators._

* * *

Looking through the peep hole in the Mazakis' front door could only provide a distorted view of the outdoors. One could not see the snow blowers three blocks in the distance, attempting to cleanse the streets from the thick layer of snow that covered it. It was nearly impossible to see the two sets of footprints in the fresh powder leading away from the house. In fact, through the fish-eyed perspective that hole provided, all that could be seen is the welcome mat set outside the door: the mat that no one was standing on or even near.

Relieved, Mrs. Mazaki finally decided she could leave her watch. She had been standing by the door since the two visitors had arrived around four or five minutes earlier, just to be sure they didn't try to do anything funny. She had some dishes she needed to attend to now, but before heading off to the kitchen, she checked both of the front door's locks. Better safe than sorry, she'd always say.

Once in the kitchen, she paused to look at the time on the microwave's clock. Digital numbers blinked back at her, reading 11:43 AM. Near lunch time, and the sink still full of breakfast dishes. This simply would not do. Dutifully, Mrs. Mazaki began to fill the sink with water, letting the sound of the running tap dissolve some of her tense nerves.

There weren't many things that she admitted to not understanding. Her list of things she found unexplainable included the way her house would unavoidably get dirty moments after cleaning it, how socks lose themselves behind the dryer, why after she finished cleaning the dishes, a new, dirty dish would somehow appear in the sink. And atop this list of things she didn't think she'd ever understand are teenagers; namely her daughter, her one and only child. There was just no way of understanding how such a nice girl could be friends with a couple of hooligans like the two who had just dropped by. Where had she, as a mother, gone wrong? Anzu was enrolled in dance, had been for years, and yet, never seemed to really make friends with any of the pleasant, good little girls in her class. In fact, Mrs. Mazaki couldn't even think of the last time her daughter had even been close friends with any girl. The only friend that her motherly instincts didn't object to was that short boy with the wild hair named Yuugi. He had always been exceedingly nice to her daughter and once even offered to help Mrs. Mazaki with her garden. Mrs. Mazaki had to admit to being lenient perhaps too lenient, when Yuugi was involved with Anzu's daily plans, sometimes not seeing her for days at a time while she went off to see one of his little card playing contests. That didn't make her a bad mother, did it? As she scrubbed the crusted peanut butter and jelly off of a plate, she decided she probably needed to have a heart to heart with her daughter before long.

The last dish rinsed and placed in the dish washer, she dried her hands on a nearby towel as she gazed back up at the clock. 11:56, and still no sight of her daughter. "Is she still in bed?" Mrs. Mazaki asked herself, ascending the stairs to her daughter's room. A panicked thought entered her head: What if she snuck out the window to be with those two hooligans? Worse yet: What if they took her against her will? Her poor, poor baby! "Anzu?" She called up the stairs, trying to keep her voice even. "Anzu?" She was nearly upon the room, and still, no answer. Nervously, Mrs. Mazaki knocked on her daughter's door. "Darling? It's nearly noon. That's a little late to be sleeping in, even on a Sunday, don't you think?" No response. The frantic mother quickly flung the door open. Her eyes darted first to the windows. It was still closed, so she couldn't have snuck out. The cheery, yellow sheets where still on the bed... and her daughter, sure enough, was still tucked beneath them. Breathing out a sigh of relief, Mrs. Mazaki walked to her daughter's bedside.

Gently, the worried mother shook her daughter's shoulder. "Time to wake up," she whispered. This seemed to make no difference. "Anzu?" This was beginning to get a little frustrating. "Anzu! I know you can hear me! Up. Now, or else you can't go anywhere with Yuugi over the rest of winter break." Surprised that even this threat didn't illicit a response, she placed the back of her hand against Anzu's forehead. Maybe she was...

Mrs. Mazaki gasped, pulling her hand away. Anzu, her baby, was burning with fever.

_

* * *

_

_"This is the place," the guide announces, stopping in front of a nondescript house. Yuugi wonders how he could tell the difference between this house and the others; they all seem to look the same. On closer inspection, he sees that one side of the building has what appears to be an extra room jutting from its side. _

_"Forgive my asking, but why this house? Do they know we are coming?" Yuugi finds himself asking, and inwardly wondering where _he_ ends and the future pharaoh begins. _

_The guide smiles kindly, "The family who lives here is well known for their kindness to travelers. They expect little in return for their kindness, and won't ask questions as to why we're here." He explains as he carefully dismounts his horse. His diminutive body is seemingly suspended in air for an instant before his feet hit the ground. "Kedamen? Henuka?" He sends pointed glances at both guards, "Watch his highness while I arrange for us to stay." The two guards snicker behind their hands, glancing at one another before smirking up at the future pharaoh and his camel. _

_"Hear that 'your majesty? We're in charge now." Henuka, the dark haired guard, sneers as the other guard crossed his arms and nods in agreement. Yuugi finds it extremely, extremely tempting to respond, each retort that came to mind more mean spirited than the last. Each comeback nothing at all like he would usually think of. _

'I guess the Other Me had a really foul mouth.'_ Yuugi thinks, embarrassed, as the future pharaoh's inner cursings continue. It takes a considerable amount of energy to keep these comments to himself instead of yelling at the guards. _

_Obviously disappointed at his lack of response, the guards follow Yuugi's gaze to the front door of the house where the guide talks animatedly to an older looking woman._

_"So, your adviser? The old man," Kedamen, the lighter haired boy asks after a moment of silence, and points one thumb back at their guide, "he's about a hundred years old, right?"_

_Yuugi blinks a puzzled expression crossing his face, "What?"_

_"Maybe a couple of years short, right?" Kedamen tries again, "Someone I was talking to at our last stop said that he's been the top adviser to every pharaoh that they can remember."_

_A thin laugh escapes the future king's lips, "They only remember two pharaohs then: my grandfather and my father. I know not Shimon's age, but I do know his father was also a top adviser while he was alive."_

_"I bet they looked the same then, " Kedamen retorts quickly, crossing his arms across his chest, "His father was probably just as crazy-looking."_

_A cold glare is his only response. _

_Just then, Shimon, the guide, walks back over, smiling widely, "They will take us in for the night, provided we assist with chores in the morning."_

_"Then what are we waiting for?" Henuka asks loudly, not bothering to stifle a yawn, "Let's go in!"_

_After leading their animals into the family's palisaded pen, all four men finally step foot into the household. Yuugi finds it surprising that, despite the lack of modern air conditioning in Ancient Egypt, the house remains several shades cooler than the lingering heat outside. The small windows near the building's ceiling seem to be acting as vents, allowing breezes through the cozy looking house. _

_A part of him feels a bit nervous as the mother walks forward to greet the group. He doesn't quite understand why--- she seems nice enough. He realizes then that he doesn't know how to properly show respect to this woman. He has grown so accustomed to being shown respect to that he doesn't know how to return the favor. That along with Yuugi's own fear of staying the night with someone that he doesn't know. _

_The woman smiles, her dark but graying hair falling over her face as she bows her head. "Welcome to our household," she says, her voice soft. _

_"Thank you for your hospitality on this evening," Yuugi finds himself saying, bowing his own head to her for a moment. _

_"My husband is already asleep, so forgive him for not welcoming you as well." Yuugi notices the bags under her eyes and the slight sag to her smile, and suddenly isn't nervous any more. "It has been a long day for all of us. I'm afraid that the area we have built for our guests is otherwise occupied tonight. There is room for one of you to rest in there. My husband and I will gladly offer up our bed to the other three of you."_

_Shimon places a hand on her shoulder, "As I told you, we don't wish to inconvenience you. Myself and these two," (Henuka and Kedamen cast nervous glances at one another), "will rest on the ground tonight."_

_"If you're sure..." She presses one more time. _

_Kedamen begins to speak up, "Actua---"_

_"We're sure," Shimon affirms while stomping on Kedamen's foot to keep him silent. _

_She begins to walk away, "I'll find some blankets for the three of you. Your companion may go into his room now, but remember, there is someone else in there also. My daughter has taken ill, but I promise she will not disrupt your sleep." _

_Suddenly it seems that the future ruler is the one with the sour end of the deal. He realizes though that the ancient Egyptians believe that angry spirits, not viruses, are responsible for making people sick. Surely the spirit would focus on the girl and leave him alone? _

_The first thing he notices after stepping into the room is how much darker it seems than the rest of the house. Even the small window seems to be blocked from emitting any of the moon's pale silver glow. His bare feet make no noise on the earth as he walks to the cot on the opposite side of the room from the girl. He tries to make himself sit down on it, but for some reason, can't bring himself to. Instead, he finds himself walking towards her, holding his breath for fear of inhaling her sick air. She is shaking, but not violently. Something seems to be holding her in place. It is then he notices the shadow coiled around her. Carefully, he brings his fingers closer to her face, seeing if he could wave the shadow and it's hold away from her. He cannot. The shadow is cold, and his fingers slip right through, but can do nothing to move it. He is touching her face now, and her eyes open slightly at the sensation. _

_The shadow seems to stir as she moves, and the impossible happens. The shadow opens its glowing eyes, staring right at him. He tries to back away, but it is too late. The shadow is no longer on the girl, it is on him, grasping his hands in its own immaterial ones. Is this the spirit plaguing the girl? Will he become sick like her, all because of this? He shudders, struggling, trying to get away, but the shadow still holds him. _

_A feeling of familiarity passes over him, and he stops his struggle. There's a whispering sound above the silence of the evening. "Partner. Partner, it's me." _

_"Other me," He whispers, the once familiar words feeling foreign on the tongue of the future boy-king. Then he nods, no longer resisting as the shadow melds into his body. When it is done, he is tired, but he does not move for the bed assigned to him. Instead, he kneels by her bedside, and falls asleep there, grasping her sweating hand, his head cradled in his own arm. Despite the position's awkwardness, it still feels strangely comforting. _


End file.
